To leave London for North Norfolk (not the posh bit)..?

[Londonisnotcalling]

That’s it really?

Fully fed up of the London life, am not particularly wealthy, live in a fairly drab and deprived area of London, but have a 3 bed flat (mortgaged) and 1 DC (primary) - flat would sell quickly and would be able to get more space, garden etc in Norfolk and I do love it there (lots of holidays in that area so know it a bit). Work isn’t an issue as I WFH and it’s secure and DC’s father isn’t in the picture and my family are all abroad so doesn’t really make much difference to them.

Looking at Sheringham, Cromer and Mundesley. Can’t afford more west and want to live in an actual community rather than land of second homes.

AIBU to just go for it? Anyone else done it and really much happier now? (Hoping not to read loads of horror stories!)

Go for a town to have reliable Broadband. Don't move to a village. I bet Broadband is not good in Mundesley.

What if you were made redundant from secure job? Would you find local work, then? Is this renting or buying?

What are your minimum, acceptable requirements of local primary & secondary?

Do you need, how far, to travel to see family regularly?

Other than "bigger garden" what lifestyle would you want to live?

Do you mind lack of cultural diversity? I heard the N-word twice out of someone's mouth today, shocked me. About 4 miles from Mundesley. That village shop still insists everyone wears masks. But I did say "avoid the villages"

Villages in Norfolk can be very unfriendly and resistant to 'outsiders'.
You need a town on a nice street in a place where the schools aren't sinks.
In a village your children will starve socially when they become teenagers.

Cromer is perfect for all ages and stages. I'd happily move there. There's a diverse population and, because so many are incomers, people appreciate living there and look out for each other.

There's also great broadband, and plenty to do. Only downside is the poor quality road links to Norwich. 23 miles that take on average 1 hour.

Thanks for feedback - to answer some questions:

I think Cromer or Sheringham are top of the list as towns rather than villages and whenever I’ve stayed there the internet has been decent enough, so hopefully good enough for what I need.

I work for myself in a design job and have plenty of clients and work - I’ve been doing it for 25+ years and so feel confident it will continue (wasn’t affected during pandemic for example), so not worried about that side of things.

Yes to buying, although it did cross my mind to rent for a while first, just in case..🤔

I must admit, I’m not very clued up on the school situation up there, Ofsted says ‘Good’ for the secondary, but what does that mean? What should I be looking at outside of that?

Lifestyle - I’d love to be close to the coast for walking, a bit of photography and nature and am desperate to have my own garden and veg patch😊

Would be nice to have a community feel, maybe some local groups I could try and get involved with (walking, book clubs or something). Have to hope/assume DC will make friends at school, they are a fairly outgoing / easygoing type, likes playing football and basketball.

I’d miss the cultural aspects of London, but I am more of a homey person these days to be honest and rarely venture to a gallery or whatever.

Forgot to mention I have a friend in Holt, so not too close, but gives me someone to visit now and again, - she’s quite excited by the idea.

Are they not the posh bits then? I opened this thinking you meant you were moving go to King’s Lynn! (although that’s West Norfolk, it is geographically north half of the county). Incidentally, we’re not posh here in Lynn and the three secondary schools all perform below national average… but the broadband works 🤣

Yeah I think you’re probably right about village-life. Maybe a stretch - but they are lovely to stay in

I do worry about DC resenting me - so a town would probably help.

I have spent more time in Cromer than Sheringham. I need to get up there and spend more time at half-term to get more acquainted.

Oh that’s interesting! How do you know about there being a diverse population? Do you mean age wise or culturally? That makes me quite excited to read

Do you mind me asking where you are now, that makes you say you’d move there?

@Testina

I always assumes the post bits were Well next the sea and round that way? Seems to be wall to wall second homes and jolly hockey sticks!

Never been to Kings Lynn! It does sound posh though!

It really, really isn’t 🤣

Wherever you move to make sure there are good meet up groups for you to join socially as and when your daughter gets to the age when you can socialise separately and have new friends of your own. As it is very hard starting afresh as we get older in terms of friends as most people will already have theirs especially if they are from a largely indigenous nrighbourhood where few outsiders or non locals exist.

Have you been up there out of season, or in the winter, OP? Beautiful, but the wind blows down straight from the Arctic!

Take care where you choose. Too much of a rich/ poor divide in some places for me. Made the mistake of staying in Burnham Market once. My entitled-rich-wanker-alert meter nearly broke.

I think Cromer isn't a bad choice ( although there used to be a teenage drug problem when my kids were school age about 10 years ago) Aylsham is a nice little market town on the Cromer Rd, or there's always Norwich, it's not that far from the coast, lots going on and maybe wouldn't be so much of a culture shock after living in London. Do have a look at Sheringham, I'd probably give Mundesley a miss, I love the beach there but I think it's a tad insular.

Maybe you should come and rent somewhere or have a long holiday up here this Summer.....go and look at Kings Lynn, it's definitely affordable, has some lovely parts but isn't in the least bit posh!

@ClassicGreen

Ahhh yes I have been to Burnham Market! It’s beyond posh! 😂

I do like Norwich a lot, if I moved to another city I would definitely consider it, but I really do fancy being able to walk on the beach regularly and just having a more relaxed lifestyle now.

Do you know much about Sheringham? It is quite tempting too, although I know not far less than Cromer.

I’ve been up in winter and stayed in Holt quite a few times as my good friend lives there and we’ve been along the beaches in winter, it’s pretty chilly I will admit!

We moved to near King's Lynn and it's been a fabulous choice. Rural countryside, lots of walks and nature reserves, locals lovely and very accepting, more reasonably priced properties, 20 mins to Snettisham or North Norfolk coast, yet train also into London. Not sure what schools are like, although our Primary is Good.

I think I would go to Norwich itself, you could definitely get a house and nice garden coming from London. Still easy access to coast and beautiful countryside. Many more opportunities for making friends and your dc enjoying life as a teenager. Plus better transport links.

Please please please go on a very busy day in the summer holidays and see how ‘close to the beach’ you are. I’m 20 mins from a Norfolk beach that isn’t even that great and it is more like 1.30-2 hours in summer

Is the village having a yard sale tomorrow?

Go out of season and stay for a good while then decide!

Pretty much all of Norfolk lacks racial diversity apart from Norwich and areas surrounding the two other hospitals and families come to work there. North Norfolk coast is affected badly by coastal erosion so careful where you buy.

I would look at East Norfolk / North Suffolk, Gorleston, Hopton, Bradwell, Belton, Beccles, Oulton Broad area. They have more to do for children than the more posher North Norfolk areas and have better transport links. More sports facilities, more seasonal job availability in nearby resort towns like Great Yarmouth and things to do which are great for teens. Don't get completely cut off when we have bad snow storms. There are no grammar schools in Norfolk and the schools reflect this, there are also some areas of deprivation (Gt Yarmouth) with very low literacy levels, however that does not mean that the brighter children don't achieve they do and lots of the schools have specific programs to change the more able.

If you buy in a very touristy area prepare for normal journeys to take up to three times as long in the holiday season, you get used to it and learn when the quietest times are but it can be a problem.

It sounds like you’ve thought this through, and it might be a goer.

My two caveats are:

Housing stock is in high demand and it may take a while to find somewhere suitable. Don’t even think about renting - not going to happen.

It’ll be a big change for the children - are they on board?

I’ve name changed for this because it will be very outing! I moved here 6 years ago and have lived in both Mundesley, then Roughton, and now Mundesley again. We are moving to Norwich at the end of the academic year. I have loved our time here but I personally am done.

Pros- it has been amazing to have space, country side and beaches while I had young DC. The pace of life is delightful (takes a while to get used to it being slower) but people love to stop and chat. Whenever I’m in the (often empty) park with DC, people walking dogs will come over and chat. Everyone says hello- even not knowing each other, it’s just generally friendly. I was walking with my DC the other day- happened to walk past someone using a mini digger in their garden- had never met them, and yet they offered for him to have a sit on the digger etc. Friendship wise I have struggled to make friends with people born and bred here- bit stereotypical but in general they went to school together, had kids at the same age etc, but there are plenty of incomers like us so have made friends with them instead. Have one friend probably who was born here but loads that have moved here and been a bit more open!

Cons- the weather genuinely is quite a challenge in winter. Our garden backs onto the cliffs and it is cold a lot, and windy a lot. It often felt quite challenging to find things to do to entertain DC in winter (which lasts a full 6 months)
Driving- I’m on the edge of mundesley so I feel like I have to get in the car for nearly everything. Can walk to the beach and a newsagent but that’s it.
Education- it’s not amazing in general in Norfolk. Aylsham High school is good, and ofsted reports might be good in general but it will probably be quite different to London. Education is probably most of the reason we are moving.

If I had to stay out here then Aylsham or Cromer would get my vote. Aylsham for schools and being able to get to both Norwich and the coast easily. Cromer is my favourite town, go there ALL the time and I love it and will miss it. But realistically with both kids in school, the weeks get so busy that we decided it was better to be in Norwich and make day to day life easier knowing that at the weekends we are a 40 minute drive from any beach we like. Ours has got a bit samey.
Any specific questions I’m happy to help!

Sounds really exciting!! Go for it!!

I'm sorry, I don't understand??